News
ICViewExpert PerspectivesMedical World NewsPathogen PlaybookVideosWebinars
Conference CoverageConference ListingAPIC Chapters
Infection Control TodaySupplements And Featured Publications
CME/CEEditorial Advisory BoardJob BoardPartnersSponsoredWhitepapers
Subscribe
Educator of the Year Official Rules2024 Educator of the Year Winner2023 Educator of the Year WinnerEducator of the Year
Advanced TechnologyAdvanced TechnologyAdvanced Technology
Bug of the Month
COVID-19
Environmental ServicesEnvironmental Services
HAIs
Hand Hygiene
IC Trends
Long-Term CareLong-Term Care
Operating Room
Personal Protective EquipmentPersonal Protective Equipment
Policy
PreventionPreventionPreventionPrevention
Sterile ProcessingSterile Processing
Surface Disinfection
Vascular Access
Spotlight -
  • IC Trends
  • Bug of the Month
  • Featured Articles
  • Featured Columns
  • Pathogen Playbook
Advanced TechnologyAdvanced TechnologyAdvanced Technology
Bug of the Month
COVID-19
Environmental ServicesEnvironmental Services
HAIs
Hand Hygiene
IC Trends
Long-Term CareLong-Term Care
Operating Room
Personal Protective EquipmentPersonal Protective Equipment
Policy
PreventionPreventionPreventionPrevention
Sterile ProcessingSterile Processing
Surface Disinfection
Vascular Access
    • News
    • Subscribe
Advertisement

Study Links Gonorrhea, Prostate Cancer in Men

May 10, 2004
Article

FLINT, Mich. -- Men who have had gonorrhea are more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer, new research from the University of Michigan Health System finds.

Having more than 25 lifetime sexual partners also increases odds of prostate cancer, by more than 2.5 times that of men with five or fewer sexual partners, the study found.

The conclusions are part of the Flint Men's Health Study, a population-based study of black men ages 40-79 who live in Flint, Mich. The research was presented May 9, 2004 at the American Urological Association annual meeting in San Francisco.

The Flint Men's Health Study looked at African-American men as part of an effort to determine why black men are twice as likely as white men to develop prostate cancer and twice as likely to die from the disease.

Researchers asked 703 black men without prostate cancer and 129 black men with prostate cancer about their number of sexual partners, age at first intercourse, frequency of sexual activity and history of sexually transmitted diseases.

"Our results suggest gonorrhea may play a role in the development of prostate cancer in African-American men. Although we are unable to show that gonorrhea directly causes prostate cancer, we suspect the inflammatory effect of the gonorrhea infection may trigger pre-existing cancerous cells to multiply," says lead study author Aruna Sarma, PhD, assistant research scientist in the Department of Urology at U-M Medical School.

In the study, 65 percent of the men with prostate cancer reported having had gonorrhea, compared to 53 percent of men without prostate cancer. Men with prostate cancer were also more likely to report being diagnosed more than once with gonorrhea, a bacterial infection transmitted through sexual intercourse.

Other researchers have proposed a possible link between sexually transmitted diseases and prostate cancer. Previous studies have found a decreased risk of prostate cancer among men who use condoms and some evidence linking prostate cancer and various STDs.

In addition, the human papillomavirus, another common sexually transmitted disease, has been shown to cause cervical cancer in women. Scientists believe the cervical cancer develops in reaction to the inflammation caused by the HPV infection, a similar theory to why gonorrhea may play a role in prostate cancer.

Further studies are needed to determine whether gonorrhea or other STDs actually cause prostate cancer, the researchers say.

In addition to Sarma, study authors were Kathleen Cooney, MD, from the U-M departments of Internal Medicine and Urology; John Wei, MD, and James Montie, MD, from Urology; David Schottenfeld, MD, from Epidemiology and Internal Medicine; Steven Jacobsen from the Mayo Clinic; and U-M research associates Julie McLaughlin and Rodney Dunn.

The Flint Men's Health Study was funded by a U-M Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) grant in prostate cancer from the National Institutes of Health.

Source: University of Michigan Health System

Recent Videos
Jordan Bastian, MPH, CIC, at APIC25
Rebecca Battjes, MPH, CIC, FAPIC; Vidya Nankoosingh, MLT, CIC; and Peter Teska, MBA
Mark Wiencek, PhD
Studying for the CIC using a digital tablet and computer (Adobe Stock 335828989 by NIKCOA)
Infection Control Today's Conversations with the HSPA President, Arlene Bush, CRCST, CER, CIS, SME, DSMD, CRMST
Cheron Rojo, BS, FCS, CHL,  CER, CFER, CRCST
Matthias Tschoerner, Dr Sc
Concept images of Far-UVC  (Adobe Stock 316993517 by hopenv)
Physicians Sound Alarm: Vaccine Misinformation and Policy Failures Threaten US Public Health
Lucy Witt, MD
Related Content

Washing hands at a sink  (Adobe Stock 1298928756)

A Helping Hand: Innovative Approaches to Expanding Hand Hygiene Programs in Acute Care Settings

Kerri Simone, MPH, CIC;Alexander O’Flaherty Linehan ;Will Zacamy
July 9th 2025
Article

Who knew candy, UV lights, and a college kid in scrubs could double hand hygiene adherence? A Pennsylvania hospital’s creative shake-up of its infection prevention program shows that sometimes it takes more than soap to get hands clean—and keep them that way.


Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH; Brandon M. Gantt, MHA, CRCST, CHL, CER, LSSGBH; and Jill E. Holdsworth, MS, CIC, FAPIC, NREMT, CRCST, CHL

Lumens 2.0 Study Results: Borescopes Reveal Hidden Challenges of Cleaning Lumened Surgical Instruments

Tori Whitacre Martonicz
July 8th 2025
Article

A groundbreaking study presented at HSPA25 and APIC25 exposed hidden contamination lurking inside orthopedic and neurosurgical instruments—even after cleaning. The Lumens 2.0 research highlights why infection prevention must look deeper than surface-level protocols.


The Clean Bite

Why You Should Always Ask About Sterilization at the Dentist

Sherrie Busby, EDDA, CDSO, CDIPC
July 7th 2025
Article

Patients rarely question sterilization protocols at the dentist, yet it is essential for safety. The Clean Bite explores why asking matters, what to look for, and how to start the conversation confidently.


A Profession Without a Path, Part 2

Broadening the Path: Diverse Educational Routes Into Infection Prevention Careers

Shahbaz Salehi, MD, MPH, MSHIA;Anna Arifin, MD, MBA, MT, CIC
July 4th 2025
Article

Once dominated by nurses, infection prevention now welcomes professionals from public health, lab science, and respiratory therapy—each bringing unique expertise that strengthens patient safety and IPC programs.


Stretcher and HAIs  (Image courtesy of author through AI)

How Contaminated Is Your Stretcher? The Hidden Risks on Hospital Wheels

Donald Sipp, MBA, RESE, CHESP, CHTI-2, CMIP, PMP
July 3rd 2025
Article

Despite routine disinfection, hospital surfaces, such as stretchers, remain reservoirs for harmful microbes, according to several recent studies. From high-touch areas to damaged mattresses and the effectiveness of antimicrobial coatings, researchers continue to uncover persistent risks in environmental hygiene, highlighting the critical need for innovative, continuous disinfection strategies in health care settings.


Hot Topics With Saskia v. Popescu, PhD, MPH, MA, CIC, FAPIC

Hot Topics for IPC on July 2, 2025

Saskia v. Popescu, PhD, MPH, MA, CIC, FAPIC
July 2nd 2025
Article

This Hot Topics for IPC covers the latest on ASPR, AMR, vaccines, and a study on AMR and livestock manure from Michigan State University.

Related Content

Washing hands at a sink  (Adobe Stock 1298928756)

A Helping Hand: Innovative Approaches to Expanding Hand Hygiene Programs in Acute Care Settings

Kerri Simone, MPH, CIC;Alexander O’Flaherty Linehan ;Will Zacamy
July 9th 2025
Article

Who knew candy, UV lights, and a college kid in scrubs could double hand hygiene adherence? A Pennsylvania hospital’s creative shake-up of its infection prevention program shows that sometimes it takes more than soap to get hands clean—and keep them that way.


Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH; Brandon M. Gantt, MHA, CRCST, CHL, CER, LSSGBH; and Jill E. Holdsworth, MS, CIC, FAPIC, NREMT, CRCST, CHL

Lumens 2.0 Study Results: Borescopes Reveal Hidden Challenges of Cleaning Lumened Surgical Instruments

Tori Whitacre Martonicz
July 8th 2025
Article

A groundbreaking study presented at HSPA25 and APIC25 exposed hidden contamination lurking inside orthopedic and neurosurgical instruments—even after cleaning. The Lumens 2.0 research highlights why infection prevention must look deeper than surface-level protocols.


The Clean Bite

Why You Should Always Ask About Sterilization at the Dentist

Sherrie Busby, EDDA, CDSO, CDIPC
July 7th 2025
Article

Patients rarely question sterilization protocols at the dentist, yet it is essential for safety. The Clean Bite explores why asking matters, what to look for, and how to start the conversation confidently.


A Profession Without a Path, Part 2

Broadening the Path: Diverse Educational Routes Into Infection Prevention Careers

Shahbaz Salehi, MD, MPH, MSHIA;Anna Arifin, MD, MBA, MT, CIC
July 4th 2025
Article

Once dominated by nurses, infection prevention now welcomes professionals from public health, lab science, and respiratory therapy—each bringing unique expertise that strengthens patient safety and IPC programs.


Stretcher and HAIs  (Image courtesy of author through AI)

How Contaminated Is Your Stretcher? The Hidden Risks on Hospital Wheels

Donald Sipp, MBA, RESE, CHESP, CHTI-2, CMIP, PMP
July 3rd 2025
Article

Despite routine disinfection, hospital surfaces, such as stretchers, remain reservoirs for harmful microbes, according to several recent studies. From high-touch areas to damaged mattresses and the effectiveness of antimicrobial coatings, researchers continue to uncover persistent risks in environmental hygiene, highlighting the critical need for innovative, continuous disinfection strategies in health care settings.


Hot Topics With Saskia v. Popescu, PhD, MPH, MA, CIC, FAPIC

Hot Topics for IPC on July 2, 2025

Saskia v. Popescu, PhD, MPH, MA, CIC, FAPIC
July 2nd 2025
Article

This Hot Topics for IPC covers the latest on ASPR, AMR, vaccines, and a study on AMR and livestock manure from Michigan State University.

Advertise
About Us
Editorial Board
Contact Us
Job Board
Terms and Conditions
Privacy
Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Contact Info

2 Commerce Drive
Cranbury, NJ 08512

609-716-7777

© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.
Home
About Us
News